Shutdown device



E. D. PORTER ETAL SHUTDOWN DEVICE Filed Feb. 13, 1941 Sept. l5, 1942.

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A TORNEY Patented Sept. 15, 1942 UNITED ySTATES PATENT OFFICE SHUTDOWNDEVICE'` Delaware Application February 13, 1941,k Serial No. 378,758

(Cl. 20o- 52) 9 Claims.

This invention relates to shutdown devices, f

and more particularly to devices tor shutting down or stopping a primemover for an apparatus such as well pumping equipment in response to anaccident to parts or change o f l load on such equipment; the principalobjects of the present invention being to provide a convenient,economical and ellcient device of this character.

In oil iield practice, especially in deep well elds, wherecounterweights opposing the weight of a rod line are relatively heavy,parting of the rods or extreme change in the load causes the prime moverto race and throws an extremely heavy load on the belts, chains or otherVparts of machinery employed for actuating the rods and considerabledamage is sometimes encountered due to burning up the belts and breakingthe chains, for example, as an incident to such rod parting. There isalso considerable danger of ire or damage to the well when equipment ofthis type breaks down and suflicient power or other devices are notreadily available to counteract such breaks.

Further objects of the present invention are, e

therefore, to provide a switch responsive to excessive or acceleratedmovement of an oscillating support therefor such as a walking beam; toso arrange the switch that it is responsive to irregular motion of thesupport regardless of the point of damage to the equipment with which itis associated relative to the switch support; to provide for setting theswitch in accordance with expected motion of its support in such amanner as to actuate the switch upon the occurrence of abnormal motionof the switch support; and. to provide improved elements andarrangements thereof in a shutdown device of the character and for thepurpose specified.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the present invention, wehave provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of whichis illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of well pumping equipment showing myimproved shutdown device applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of my improved switch, the housingtherefor being shown in Cross section and parts of the switch beingbroken away to better illustrate its construction.

Fig. 3 is a detail vertical longitudinal cross section through theswitch housing and one of the switches, illustrating the construction ofthe 55 switch and showing the switch in operative condition.

Fig. 4 is a detail vertical transverse cross section through one of theswitch barrels substantiallyon the line 4-4, Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical cross rsection through the switchhousing showing the opposed relation of thev switches.

Fig. 6 isa detail perspective view of our improved switch showing therelation oi the parts thereof.

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of one of the switches, the partsthereof being shown in spaced disassembled relation.

Fig. 8 is a detail horizontal cross section through one of the switchbarrels substantially on the line 8 8, Fig. 7.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

I designates a shutdown device embodying the l features of the presentinvention, which device is preferably associated with and supported by`a Walking beam 2 oscillatably mounted, as at 3, on a Samson post 4,rwhich post may be-suitably supported on a foundation, as indicated at5- and 6. In an apparatus of this type, a rod line I is ordinarilyapplied to one end 8 of the walking beam, the rod line leading to a pumpin an oil or like pocket below a wellhead 9 for transferring uids fromthe well pocket through a Well outlet I0 to a suitable point ofdisposal. The walking beam is sometimes Oscillated by a pitman IIyconnected at one end, as at I2, with the walking beam and at its otherend with a crank arm I3, which, together with its counterweight I4, maybe rotated y'by suitable devices I5 actuated, as by a beltv I6, from thedrive shaft I1 of a prime mover I8. The walking beam 2 is also usuallyprovided at its end I9 opposite the rod line with a counterweight2l1.

In vthe event of breakage of the rod line 1, a portion of the pitman II,or displacement of the counterweights I4 or 20, actuation of the primemover remaining substantially constant, an irregular-movement isimparted to the walking beam 2.

This irregular motion may be taken advantage of by employment of thepresent invention to the end that a magneto 2| controlling the ignitionsystem of the prime mover I8, for example, may be grounded to eliminatesparks or other actuating media, thus causing ther prime mover to closein its operation andthus save the equipment from further damage,

In accomplishing this desideratum, we preferably arrange a pair ofoppositely disposed switches 22 and 23, as indicated in Fig. 6, on abracket or the like 24, secured, as by bars 25 and 26 arrangedtransversely relative to the walking beam, in superimposed positionrelative to the axis of the walking beam fulcrum 3. The bars 25 and 26may be suitably secured to the walking beam, as by welding, and thebracket 24 may be secured to the plates by fastening devices 2'1. Theswitches 22 and 23 are, preferably substantially as shown, arrangedlongitudinally of the walking beam and move in ac.

cordance with the motion of the walking beam.

Each switch preferably consists of a tubular barrel 28, Fig. 7, ofsuitably electrically insulated material, the interior of the tube beingof a diameter sufficient to loosely receive a ball 29 which, in eifect,constitutes the switch. The tube 28 is provided with a recess 36, Fig.8, into which contacts 3l and 32 project. The contacts 3l of each switchbarrel 28 are joined, as at 33 and 34, Fig. 6, and lead in currentconducting relation from the switch generally, Fig. 1, through a line35, to the magneto 2l. The contacts 32 lead to an end cap 36 of currentconducting material, Figs. 6 and 7, from the end post 3l of whichcurrent passes to an adjusting device 33, which in turn contacts theplate 24, bars 25 and 26, the walking beam, walking beam bearing andSamson post and is thus grounded to deenergize the magneto and causecessation of operation of the prime mover.

The end cap 36 is suitably secured to the end 39 of the barrel 28 as byfastening devices 40, passing through alignable openings 4| and 42 inthe barrel and cap respectively.

The adjusting device 38 may consist of a threaded post, as shown, theshank of which extends through a threaded passage 43 in the end cap post37, the threaded post being provided with .a nut 44, or similaradjustable fastening device, to hold the tubular barrel 26 in desiredangular relation to the plate 24, and consequently the plane of thewalking beam.

The other end 45 of the tubular barrel 28, is provided with a cap 46,preferably similar to the cap 36 and engageable over the end 45 of thebarrel 28. In this instance, the end cap 45 is grounded.

provided with a transverse horizontally arranged passage 4l in the endpost 48 of the cap 46, which passage receives a pivot pin 49, the endsof which are mounted in suitable bearings in upstanding arms of spaced,aligned bearing brackets 5l.

As above indicated, the switches 22 and 23 are similar, but oppositelyarranged, the purpose of which arrangement is to cause the switches toreact to irregularities in motion of the walking beam caused byunexpected situations affecting opposite ends or portions of the walkingbeam.

A suitable hood or cover 52 may be and preferably is mounted over theoppositely arranged switches, which cover may be secured in desiredposition by engagement of end walls 53 thereof in sleeved relation toupstanding flanges 54 and 55 of the plate 24, fastening devices 56 alsobeing provided for passage through alignable openings in the flanges andcover walls.

The operation of a shutdown device constructed as described is asfollows:

Assuming the switches to be assembled and arranged as shown in Figs. lto 3, 5 and 6, the length of the arc traversed by the ends of thewalking beam in actual well pumping operations may be determined,together with the speed with which the walking beam ordinarily moves inopposite directions. 'I'he adjusting devices 38 are then manipulated toplace the switch barrels 28 at such an angle relative to the plane ofthe upper surface of the walking beam that the ball 29 in each barrelrests against the end walls of the end caps 46 as shown in Fig. 2, whenthe Walking beam is level, as shown in Fig. 1, and in such a manner thatthe balls 29 ride outwardly in the barrels 28 upon oscillation of thewalking beam in opposite directions and to points short of the distancebetween the end caps 45 and the recesses 30 in the tubular barrels.

The result of this arrangement is that should the rod line 1 break, orshould the counterweight 20 be displaced, or one of the pitman armsbreak, or the counterweight I4 on the crank become dislodged, or shouldsome other similar defect develop in the well pumping apparatus, anirregular motion of the walking beam occurs that effects an accelerationof the movement of the walking beam in one of its directions of movementdepending upon the end adjacent which the defect in the equipmentdevelops. Responsive to such irregular motion of the walking beam, theballs 29 travel farther than is customary and up to the points in thebarrels 26 at which the recesses 30 are arranged. The balls thus becomelodged in the recesses and act as a switch to complete circuits betweenthe contacts 3| and 32 and the magneto 2i is thus The prime mover I8 isthus deenergized and the well equipment shut down.

It is apparent therefore, that we have provided by this invention aconvenient, economical and efcient shutdown device that works savings inequipment by allowing correction of the defects before material damageresults from such defects, and which further acts as a safety factor inwell pumping equipment that protects both property and in some cases,possibly, lives.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a circuit controlling device for use on an oscillatable member, atube having an opening in the wall thereof, contacts arranged around theperiphery of the wall opening and adapted to be engaged in a circuit,and a switch member movable in said tube in response to oscillationthereof and adapted to move into the opening in response to irregularityof motion of said member to complete the circuit between the contacts.

2. In a circuit controlling device for use on an oscillatable member, atube having an opening in the wall thereof, contacts arranged around theperiphery of the wall opening and adapted to be engaged in a circuit,and a switch member movable in the tube in response to oscillationthereof and adapted to move into the opening in response toirregularities of motion of said member to complete the circuit betweenthe contacts, the size of the switch member and opening being soproportioned that the switch member lodges in said opening.

3. In a circuit controlling device for use on an oscillatable member, atube having an opening in the wall thereof, contacts arranged around theperiphery of the wall opening and engaged in said circuit, meanspivotally mounting one end of the tube on the oscillatable member, meanson the opposite end of the tube for ad- `iusting angularity of the tuberelative to the oscillatable member, and a switch member movable in thetube in response to oscillation thereof and adapted to move into theopening in response to irregularities of motion of said member tocomplete the circuit between the contacts, the irregularities of motionrequired to move the switch member into the opening being adjusted bythe angular adjustment of the tube relative to the oscillatable member.

4. In a circuit controlling device for use on an oscillatable member, atube having an opening in the wall thereof, said tube being adapted formounting longitudinally of the oscillatable member and at an anglethereto, means for adjusting the angularity of the tube relative to theoscillatable member, a member movable in the tube in response tooscillation of the oscillatable member and adapted to move into theopening in response to irregularities of motion of said member, andmeans in the opening for controlling the circuit in response to movementof the member thereinto.

5. In a circuit controlling device for use on an oscillatable member, atube having a lateral recess, means on one end of the tube for pivotallymounting said tube on the oscillatable member, means on the other end ofthe tube for adjusting the angularity of the tube with the oscillatablemember, a contact in the recess of the tube having a connection with thecircuit, another contact in the recess engaged with the adjusting meansfor grounding to the oscillatable member, and a switch member in thetube movable in response to oscillation thereof and adapted to move intothe recess in response to irregularities in motion of said member tocomplete circuit between the contacts.

6. In a circuit controlling device for use on an oscillatable member, atube having a lateral recess, a contact extended into said recess andadapted for connection in the circuit, another contact extending intosaid recess and adapted to be grounded to the oscillatable member, and aball means in the tube movable into said recess and into engagement withsaid contacts in response to irregular motion of said oscillatablemember for completing the circuit.

7. In a circuit controlling device for use on an oscillatable member, asupport, a tube pivotally mounted on the support and having a lateralrecess, a cont-act extending into said recess adapted to be engaged inthe circuit, another contact in the recess adapted to be grounded to theoscillatable member, a ball means in the tube movable into said recessand into engagement with said contacts in response to irregular motionof said oscillatable member for completing the circuit, and means foradjusting the angularity of said tube with the support.

8. In a circuit controlling device for use on an oscillatable member, asupport, a tube pivotallyy mounted on the support, said tube having arecess, a contact in the periphery of the recess adapted to be engagedwith said circuit, another contact in the recess adapted to be groundedto the oscillatable member, a switch element arranged in the tubeengageable with the contacts in said recess to complete a circuitbetween the contacts in response to irregularities in motion incident tooscillation of the oscillatable member, and means on the end of the tubeopposite the pivotal mounting on the support for adjusting angularity ofthe tube with the support.

9. In a circuit controlling device for use on an oscillatable member, asupport, a switch tube pivotally mounted on the support, said tubehaving a recess, a contact in the periphery of the recess adapted to beengaged with the circuit, another contact in the recess adapted to begrounded to the oscillatable member, a ball switch element arranged inthe tube engageable with the contacts in said recess to complete acircuit between the contacts in response to irregularities in motionincident to oscillation of the oscillatable member, a duplicateoppositely arranged tube on the support, and a ball switch element insaid oppositely arranged switch tube responsive to irregularities ofmotion of the oscillatable member different from those to which thefirst named switch element is responsive for completing said circuit.

ERNEST DEWEY PORTER. SAMUEL BARON LISLE.

